In this Sept. 25, 2013 file photo, a grizzly bear cub forages for food a few miles from the north entrance to Yellowstone National Park in Gardiner, Mont. (Alan Rogers /The Casper Star-Tribune via AP, File/NPS/Diane Renkin)

Grizzly bear numbers in and around Yellowstone National Park are holding relatively steady. That's according to figures released Thursday. State wildlife officials have begun discussions. They want to talk about whether to hold the first public hunts for the animals in decades.

There are an estimated 718 bears in the Yellowstone region. That includes parts of Wyoming. It includes parts of Montana. And it includes parts of Idaho. That's according to the leader of the Interagency Grizzly Bear Study Team.

That's up slightly from last year's tally. Last year there were 695 bruins. But it is not considered a big increase. This is because there are uncertainties around the estimates. That's according to Frank van Manen. His is the study team leader. He is with the U.S. Geological Survey.

"The population has been at a pretty stable level since the early 2000s," van Manen said. "If that number had been lower by 15 or 20 bears, I would have said the same thing."

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in July removed protections for Yellowstone grizzlies. The protections had been in place since 1975. They turned over management of the animals to the three states.

Hunting is part of the states' grizzly management strategy. But details have yet to be worked out. State officials have consistently said any hunts would be limited to a small number of bears. This was to avoid endangering the overall population.

"None of the states at this point in time are actively planning for hunts. But they are beginning dialogues with various members of the public about what that would look like." That's according to Gregg Losinksi. He is with Idaho Fish and Game.

Montana officials are focused on building public trust on grizzly management. That's according to Greg Lemon. He is the Montana Fish Wildlife and Parks spokesman. There are no active discussions about future hunts in the state, Lemon said.

Even without hunts bears have been dying at a steady rate. More than 50 were killed in each of the past three years. This was due to conflicts with hunters. It was due to highway accidents. And it was due to management removals of bears that preyed on livestock.

"More than 150 bears dying in the last three years because of run-ins with hunters and cars and cows is just too many," said Beth Kampschror. She is with the Greater Yellowstone Coalition. It is a conservation group. "We're asking the states and agencies to do more to keep people safe and bears alive."

Other wildlife advocates and American Indian tribes have sued to restore federal protections.

The tribes say killing grizzlies violates the spiritual beliefs of their members. Wildlife advocates argue that hunting could reverse the species' hard-fought recovery from near extermination in the last century.

The National Rifle Association and Safari Club International have asked the judge overseeing most of the lawsuits for permission to intervene in the cases. They want to make sure their members have a chance to hunt grizzlies.

The Yellowstone they can't kill the bears. he bears keep having more cubs and so on that is why it is steady.

KiaraB-del

12/10/2017 - 10:29 a.m.

This article was very interesting. This article was mainly about the bear population in Yellow Stone Park. They are tying to stop the population from decreeing.

EoinM-del

12/11/2017 - 07:35 a.m.

Well the grizzly bears have a big issue with being hunted. Also were they live many people want to hunt them.

Angelt-bru1

1/08/2018 - 03:10 p.m.

Some of the faces that grizzly bears have to face are that they are being hunted for food and other causes. They are trying to find food to survive. They have to go into protection centers because they are being hunted by people for different sorts of stuff.

Ginny H-mic

1/11/2018 - 08:41 a.m.

peppl nede to stop killing grizzlies we nede more life.

kmurp-wim

2/22/2018 - 12:59 p.m.

The challenges that bears face are that hunters can hunt them and kill them when they wish. Bears also could get killed by another animal or get hit by a car on the highway.